The polling for assembly elections started in Karnataka at 7 am on Wednesday and the voters of the southern state are set to exercise their franchise till 6 pm. There are 224 constituencies in Karnataka and the polling will be conducted in a single phase.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged the first-time voters to step out and use their democratic right on the polling day. He tweeted, “Urging the people of Karnataka, particularly young and first-time voters to vote in large numbers and enrich the festival of democracy.” The first-time voters are expected to play a key role in deciding the mandate as they are in large numbers.
According to the Election Commission of India, there are 11.17 lakhs first time voters in Karnataka. A total of 41,000 applicants turned 18 by April 1 and they will be eligible to vote in the assembly elections. The EC has already declared a holiday and a huge voter turnout is expected in this assembly election.
In the 2018 assembly elections, Karnataka observed a voter turnout of 71.13 per cent, which was the highest in the state since 1952 assembly polls. A total of 5.3 crore voters are going to cast their vote in 58,545 polling stations in 37,777 locations, according to the Election Commission of India. Of these, 12,15,920 are senior citizen voters who are above 80.
Karnataka will see a triangular fight between the Congress, BJP and the JD(S). The results of the assembly elections will be declared on May 13.
